References
Knowing your way around ‘the big C’ in veterinary practice
Abstract
When people hear the word cancer in relation to a loved one, the wave of emotion that follows can be devastating. Due to the complexity of oncology, a suspected or confirmed diagnosis often leads to large volume of information detailing the next steps and possible options. Pets are no exception and when owners are required to make emotive decisions with limited time to deliberate, it is the responsibility of the veterinary surgeons and nurses to provide up-to-date knowledge, guiding them to make the best decision both for themselves and their pets. This article explores the prevalence of neoplasia and the role of the first-opinion practice in diagnosis and treatment of neoplasms in pets. It also looks at the recognition of paraneoplastic syndromes in cancer patients and the importance of implementing gold-standard chemotherapy protocols. Understanding key aspects of the most common neoplasms in dogs and cats and their potential treatments helps to manage owner expectation in the practice setting. However, the ability to empathise and convey the importance of quality of life is also fundamental when supporting an owner and their animal through their cancer journey.
The term neoplasia is related to a group of conditions caused by the abnormal proliferation of cells often leading to the development of a tumour (Argyle et al, 2009). Loss of the in-built growth-limiting mechanisms within a cell is often caused by mutations at the DNA level. This is known as carcinogenesis (Pitot, 1993; Pinho et al, 2012).
On a cytological level, there are three main categories of neoplasm as detailed in Table 1 (Baba and Câtoi, 2007; Argyle et al, 2009):
These cellular origins can allow us to predict the way a tumour is likely to behave locally and determine the like-lihood of spread as not all neoplasms are malignant. If a neoplasm is benign, it is likely to be slow-growing, well-differentiated and of no clinical concern to the patient unless it is a space-occupying lesion, e.g a brain tumour. If a neoplasm is malignant, it is known as cancer and has the potential to spread from the primary source to other areas in the body (Argyle et al, 2009).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting The Veterinary Nurse and reading some of our peer-reviewed content for veterinary professionals. To continue reading this article, please register today.